{"nrhp_refnum":"95001242","name":"Miller, Bell, Apartments","other_names":["Bell Miller Flats"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"835 S. Second St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Spingfield","county":"Sangamon County","state":"IL","lat":39.79266950900006,"lon":-89.65387464399998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1995-11-07","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A three-story, Classical Revival, six-flat brick apartment building at 835 South Second Street in Springfield, Illinois, built in 1909 and designed by architect George H. Helmle for florist Bell Miller.","why_significant":"The building is locally significant under Criterion C for architecture as a good example of the six-flat multiple dwelling type. It was a luxury apartment building whose exterior, floor plan and common areas borrowed from single-family homes, helping make multiple-family housing respectable in Springfield. It also compares favorably with other Springfield apartment buildings of the period for its refined common spaces.","narrative":"Built in 1909 at 835 South Second Street in Springfield, this three-story, six-flat apartment building was designed by architect George H. Helmle for local florist Bell Miller. Buff yellow pressed brick and limestone trim give it a Classical Revival look, with a projecting central pavilion, a Doric entry porch and an Adam-inspired doorway. Each floor holds two apartments of about 2,000 square feet, with living rooms at the front and kitchens, pantries and servants' rooms at the rear. Miller developed it on Aristocracy Hill, near her family home, as a luxury building meant to overcome the poor reputation of apartments. Its facade resembled neighboring mansions, and its spacious lobby, stair landings and private verandas gave a home-like feel. Early residents included prominent Springfield figures. The building is significant for architecture as a good example of the six-flat type and stands out among other Springfield apartment buildings of its era. It remains in good condition with its historic integrity largely intact.","period_of_significance":"1909","architect_builder":"Helmle, George H., architect","architectural_style":"Classical Revival","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Privately owned, in good original condition, and still used as multiple dwellings; the surrounding area is now primarily commercial.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:37.235562-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/16/8940/28894016/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_IL/95001242.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/95001242/11ab41725e-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/95001242/11ab41725e-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Teemu08","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bell_Miller_Apartments.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Teemu08</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bell_Miller_Apartments.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/28894016","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_Miller_Apartments","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19460452"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/illinois/sangamon-county/miller-bell-apartments-95001242/"}